1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to pick-up track accessories, specifically to such accessories which are used for the purpose of mobile storage of tools and/or other items.
2. Background of the Invention
Pick-up truck -up-fitters and outfitters and home improvement stores commonly provide consumers with toolboxes which can be mounted into the bed and/or on the railing of a pick-up truck. These toolboxes generally are used to store tools and/or other good enabling the user to perform his/her job function. That job function may fall into the categories of Trades People, Service, Mill Wrights, Heavy Machinery, Mechanical Maintenance and/or Repair, Hunter, Hobby Enthusiasts or other category in which the user has a need for mobile storage and easy access to those stored objects. These mobile storage units may generically be referred to as utility bodies and/or other high-mount toolboxes.
(a) These traditional storage units open outward and toward the user. Anywhere from four (4) to five (5) inches of useable space is lost. This limits the user to only being able to store smaller hand tools. The storage device limits the size of items placed in the storage devise to an item considerably smaller than the storage device. Mounting excessively large, expensive toolboxes is required to meed the needs of the user. Because of the limited space and lost upper storage space due to the outward opening door, a user needing to carry larger hand tools (such as a large circular saw or grinder or hand drill or tool chest) were required to store such items outside of their toolboxes and exposed to weather causing corrosion and damaging these larger hand tools.
(b) Traditional high mount toolboxes open outward. The outward opening infringes upon the user's ability to easily his/her tools. The user was forced to reach up and over the door causing strain to the user's back. The user must pull his/her tools out onto the door ledge for easier work accessibility. Then, during the job clean-up phase, the user is required to take an additional clean-up step to place tools back into the storage unit; thus, the user loses valuable work time.
(c) The square shape of such current storage units restrict the user's rear-view driving visibility causing potential traffic accidents. The slide-in cargo enclosures further restricts the driver's rear-view visibility.
(d) Water, especially during a hard thunder storm, will seep through hinges in prior art. Tools can be damaged from corrosion.
(e) Other storage units use a cam-action-slam latch or a simple deadbolt which enables dishonest passer-bys to violate the door opening and steal valuable tools inside. The cam-action locks can easily be popped out of their latch pin. The deadbolts can be popped out of their home, locked position.
(f) Originally storage utility bodies were directly mounted onto the frame of the vehicle. This caused holes to be drilled directly into the vehicle, structurally altering the vehicle, and making change-outs unsightly. U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,952 to Albertini (1997) discloses a slide-in storage body which can be placed into the bed of the pick-up without damage to the pick-up; however, this storage unit is one piece. Albertini's invention can not be reconfigured post manufacture.
(g) Bed-liners lose large amounts of usable storage space by failing to capitalize on the space between the rear wheel-wells and potential for utilizing this space not only for storage, but also for stake pockets to double deck the main part of the pick-up bed.